Communications cable having multiple wires sometimes includes a metal sheath, of foil or braided metal, to shield the wires from electromagnetic interference. The wires are exposed outwardly from an end of the cable for connection to the terminals of the electrical connector. The wire connections, as well as the connector terminals, must also be shielded. Usually this can be accomplished by providing a metal shell enclosing the connector and the wire connections. The shell must be commoned electrically to the cable sheath to assure unbroken, continuous shielding. In a version of the present invention, a metal shell encloses a pair of connectors comprising a plug and receptacle which are jumper interconnected by the multiple wires of a shielded electrical cable. The plug and receptacle have their mating sides facing in opposite directions. The shell envelopes the connectors with the mating sides being accessible through the shell to provide plug and receptacle interfaces. The shell provides an overhanging flange encircling each of the interfaces. The shell grips the cable sheath to provide a strain relief and a commoned electrical connection of the shell and the cable shielding.
An object of the present invention is to provide a connector for multiple wire pairs of a shielded electrical cable having composite plug and receptacle connectors interconnected by jumper wires of the cable and providing plug and receptacle interfaces accessible through a metal shell which is commoned to the shielding of the cable.
Another object is to provide back to back electrical connectors that are jumper interconnected by multiple wires of a shielded cable and contained within a shell for shielding the connectors and the wire connections thereof, so that plural shells and their corresponding connectors may be stacked and intermated to connect together plural shielded cables.